1GRAMMAR

\ 11

Modals: past
Had to am:1 didn't have to
Had to is the past form of must and refers to a past obligation.
Sorry I'm late, I had to post sorne letters.
The negative form is didn't have to and refers tó an absence of obligation.

Should have and ought to have

<li> Expectation
Should have and ought to have can refer to something which was supposed to happen.
The parce/ I sent you should have / ought to have arrived by now.
<li> Criticism of an action
You shouldn't have ! oughtn't to have eaten so much last night.
o Should have and verbs of thinking
I should have thought that ... is a way of describing what was supposed or expected
to happen.
I should have thought that you would know the answer / that you knew the answer.
lt implies that in fact you didn't know the answer, and I am surprised or disappointed.

e With be and adjectives describing chance 1

It was strange that you should have been staying in the same hotel last year.
e As a polite expression of thanks on receiving a gift or a favour
I've done the washing up for you. - Oh, you real/y shouldn't have!

Could have and couldn't have

e Could have refers to past possibility or uncertainty.
David could have won the race if he had tried. (possibility / ability)
It could have been Sue, I suppose. (uncertainty)
e Couldn't have can be used with comparative adjectives.
We couldn't have been happier in those days.
® Could have can also express unwillingness.
She could have gone to the party with her friends. (but she didn't)

Could
@ Could refers to past permission or past ability.
When I was sixteen I could stay out till 11.00. (I was allowed to)
Jenny could swim when she was three. (she actually <lid)
Compare: Jenny could have swum when she was three. (but she didn't)

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 GRAMMAR 10 MODALS: PAST

May have and might have

@ Might have refers to past possibility which <lid not happen.
You might have drowned!
@ Might have and may have express uncertainty.
I suppose I may have been rather critica/.
@ Both can be used in the negative to express uncertainty.
They might not have received our letter yet.
1. @ Might have is used to express annoyánce at someone's failure to do something.
You might have told me my trousers were split!
@ I might have known + would is an idiom by which the speaker expresses ironically
that an action was typical of someone else.
;ed to happen. I might have known that he would be late.

Must have and can't have

e These express the speaker's certainty about a past action.
Someone must have taken it. (I am sure they <lid)
You can't have lost it. (! am sure you didn't)
)r expected
@ Both can also be used with surely in exclamations.
-v the answer. Surely you can't have eaten ali of it!
· disappointed. Surely you must have noticed it!

Wouldnot
year.
11 This expresses an unwillingness in the past.
Everyone was angry beca use Sam wouldn't turn off the television.

Wouldhave
11 Would have can refer to events in the past which <lid not actually happen.
I would have accepted the job, but I didn't want to move house.
@ Assumptions about the past are also possible with would have.
A: Someone called after you left but didn't leave a message.
B: That would have been Cathy, probably.

Needn't have and didn't need to

Needn't have done refers to an unnecessary action which was actually done.
You needn't have paid ali at once. (you <lid pay)
Didn't need to refers to an unnecessary action which was not done.
I didn't need to go to the dentist again, luckily.

Adverbs and modals

Adverbs such as easily, jusi, real/y, well, are often used to emphasize modal
expressions, in both present and past time.
You could easily have been killed.
I might just take you up on that.
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You couldn't really have managed without me.
LANGUAGE PRACTICE FOR ADVANCED

1 Underline the correct word or phrase to complete each sentence.

1 That can't have been I shouldn't have been Nick that you saw.
2 You must have given I might have given me a hand!
3 I caught a later train because I had to see / must have seen a client.
4 I suppose Bill should have lost / might have lost his way.
5 I didn't refuse the cake, as it should have been / would have been rude.
6 I don't know who rang, but it could have been / must have been Jim.
7 It was odd that you should have bought / would have bought the same car.
8 I asked them to leave but they might not / wouldn't go.
9 It's a pity you didn't ask because I can't help / could have helped you.
10 It's your own fault, you can't have / shouldn't have gane to bed so late.

2 Complete the text, using a verb phrase from the box in each gap.

cadt have must have shouldn't have may not have mayhave
shouldn't have can't have ought to have needn't have shotlld1ú !,ave

1 You and your big mouth! lt was supposed to be a secret. You ..... frJ.QJ1,f.0.r.:J..l'lflx'.L ..
told her!
2 The plane is late. lt .............................................. landed by now.
3 You .............................................. met my brother. I haven't got one!
4 There is only one explanation. You ..................... ,........................ left your keys
on the bus.
5 You .............................................. heard me right. I definitely said 204525.
6 The meat is a bit burnt. You .............................................. cooked it for so long.
7 I'm sorry. I accept I .............................................. been a little bit rude.
8 You really .............................................. taken so much trouble over me.
9 Was it really necessary? You .............................................. told the police, you know.
10 Keep your fingers crossed! The traffic warden .............................................. noticed
the car's parked next to a No Parking sign!

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 GRAMMAR 10 MODALS: PAST

3 Complete the second sentence so that it has a similar meaning to the first
sentence, using the word given. Do not change the word given.
I It wouldn't have been right to leave you to do all the work on your own.
COULDN'T
I .~.Q."1-téir.e:t.flf.!.V.nt.ft;.¡gr.~..tP..0..Q........................... ali the work on your own.
1de.
2 Perhaps they didn't notice the tyre was flat.
ª·
me car. MIGHT
They ........................................................................................ the tyre was flat.
ll. 3 All that trouble I went to wasn't necessary in the end.
ate. NEEDN'T
I ................................................................................................ ali that trouble.
4 Apparently someone has borrowed my laptop.
ave HAVE
,Jdat ha,c Someone .............................................................................. my laptop.
5 I'm disappointed that you didn't back me up!
,oulcl,,,,'t .,rnve.....
MIGHT
You ......................................................................................................... meup!
6 Our worrying so much was a waste of time.
NEEDN'T
your keys We ....................................................................................................... somuch.
7 It's jusi not possible for the cat to have opened the fridge.
14525. POSSIBLY
for so long. The cat ............................................................................................... the fridge.
le. 8 It would have been possible for Helen to take us in her car.
me. . COULD
)!ice, you know. Helen .................................................................................................... us a lift .
............. noticed 9 It's possible that the last person to leave didn't lock the <loor.
MIGHT
The last person ................................................................... the <loor unlocked.
10 School uniform wasn't compulsory at my school.
WEAR
We ...................................................................... school uniform at my school.

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LANGUAGE PRACTICE FOR ADVANCIED

4 Complete each sentence, using one word in each gap. Contractions (e.g. can't)
count as one word.
1 I ...... F:9.\1-.l0....... have become a millionaire, but I decided not to.
2 You ....................... have been here when Helen told the boss not to be so lazy! It
was great!
3 Peter wasn't here then, so he ....................... have broken your vase.
4 I ....................... have bought that car, but I decided to look at a few others.
5 If you felt lonely, you ....................... have given me a ring.
6 Don't take a risk like that again! We ........... :........... have lost because of you.
7 It's been more than a week! You ....................... have had sorne news by now!
8 We were glad to help. We ....................... have just stood by and done nothing.
9 You really ....................... have gene to so much trouble!
10 I ....................... have thought that it was rather difficult.

5 Correct any errors in these sentences. Puta tick ✓ if sentence is already correct.
1 Surely you mn;,in't have forgotten already! ....'1.0.1(;,:.t....
2 Even Paul couldn't have foreseen what was coming next. ............... ..
3 Frances might not have understood what you said................. .
4 lt was funny that she should have remembered me ................. .
5 Harry may have won the match with a bit more effort. ................ .
6 You must have told me you had already eaten ................. .
7 Look, there's t30 in my wallet. I shouldn't have gene to the bank after ali. ............... ..
8 You mustn't have been so unkind! ................ .
9 I couldn't have managed without you ................. .
10 I have no idea who it was, but I suppose it would have been Ann ................. .

6 Complete each sentence with a modal verb. Use a negative form if necessary.
1 Pay no attent 10n c¡;¡""'t n¡;¡ve b een senous.
. t o wh at J'1m sa1'd . H e ............................. ·
2 Fancy borrowing all my clothes like that! You ............................. asked me first!
3 The exam wasn't a problem at ali. In fact, it .............................. been easier!
4 We should cal! Jack again, to be sure. He ................... heard the phone the first time.
5 Phew, that was a lucky escape! We ................................. killed! .
6 Hello, I'm home early. I ............................ stay late at work after all.
7 Thanks a lot! You ................................ told me that the meeting had been cancelled!
8 Ann didn't get home until 4.30 this morning. That party ............................... .
been good!
9 This bus is taking ages. We ................................ taken the metro, after ali.
10 There were plenty of spare seats on the train. We ................................ booked in
advance after ali.

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 GRAMMAR 1O MODALS: PAST

1s (e.g. can't) 1 Underline the best adverb to complete each sentence.

I Someone obviously I currently I Jortunately must have picked it up by mistake.
2 He could real/y I cheerfully I easily have stolen the painting without anyone knowing.
3 I may surely I well I clearly have made a mistake.
be so lazy! It
4 You real/y I clearly I needlessly shouldn't have spent so much on my present.
5 Bill rarely I simply I certainly wouldn't listen to anything we said.
6 I couldn't just I yet I already have left without saying a word.
others. 7 Certainly / Rarely / Surely you can't seriously believe that I am guilty!
8 I opened the window; I greatly I surely I simply had to get sorne fresh air.
~ ofyou. 9 I still / unfortunately I surely cou1dn't have come to your party.
bynow! 10 How dangerous! You could still I strongly I well have been injured!

e nothing.
S Complete the text, using a verb phrase from the box in each gap.
-=========================--------~
might have found would have mean! must be can't have been
might liave lieard should have resigned might have known
ready correct.
must have thought needn't have worried would have had

Hi Katie,
Justa quick update on my latest news. As you (1) ..~i0.l(t.t.n!lx'~.\'!t.':lKé! .. from Paula,
ter al! ................. . 1 won't be going to Australia after ali. Basicaliy, it (2) ............................. taking two
months off, and l'm not sure whether 1(3) ................................. a job when I carne
back. 1 realiy like my job at the hospital here, so I decided to play it safe. Maybe 1
(4)_ ............................. from the job and hoped for the best. After ali, perhaps 1
(5) ............................. a really great job out there, ar met the man of my dreams!
f necessary.
Do you think I did the right thing? 1kept changing my mind right up to the last
s.
minute. Bill and Sue in Sydney (6) ............................. 1 was realiy annoying. 1 thought
~d me first!
they'd never speak to me again, but 1 (7) .............................. 1 gota cal! from them
easier!
las! week, and they were very sympathetic.
the first time.
Paula told me you've decided to go back to university to study law - that
(8) ............................. an easy decision! You (9) ........'...'. ................. the world's coolest-
looking lawyer! So no more working in the insurance company? 1
been cancelled!
(10) ............................. you'd find ita bit duli! Good for you.
Keep in touch,
Love, Tina
,r al! .
. bookedin
·~SEEALSO
Grammar 8: Unreal time
Grammar 9: Modals: present and future
Consolidation 3: Units 9-12
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